GREAT WELCOME

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 244, 28 July 1947, Page 2

GREAT WELCOME

Lord Montgomery at Gisborne SHOWING SIGNS OF STRAIN (P.A.) GISBORNE, July 27. In bright sunshine and beflagged streets, huge crowds gave FieldMarshal Viscount Montgomery a tremendous welcome on Saturday as he drove through the town, also at the civic reception and at the meeting with ex-servicemen. After being greeted by civic officials at the airfield, Lord Montgomery drove through the town where exuberant crowds lined the route and acclaimed him to the echo, Lord Montgomery acknowledging the cheers and fiagwaving with a characteristic gesture.

At the civic reception at the Opera House a capacity house gave him a terrific welcome, cheering and -singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” The Mayor, Mr N. H. Bull, recalled that in the 11th century an ancestor of Lord Montgomery, Sieur Roger de Montgomery, sailed from Normandy as second-in-command to William the Conqueror to play a big part in the conquest of England. “What a historic coincidence that you, a descendant of Roger de Montgomery, should nearly 1000 years later, return to Normandy to save England,” he added. A presentation of a bound copy of a booklet Gisborne-on-the-sea, prepared by the Gisborne Thirty Thousand Club, and a ceremonial carved walking stick from the Maori people of the district was made to Lord Montgomery by the Mayor. ■

In reply, Lord Montgomery emphasised the importance of a strong and united British Empire as a factor for peace. 1 To meet the convenience of Lord Montgomery, who was showing signs of the strain of the tour and the effects of a cold, fully 1200 returned servicemen marched ..through the town six abreast and assembled before the visitor’s hotel where Lord Montgomery, in drizzling rain, inspected the ranks and wished the troops the best of luck.

Highlight of Visit

A highlight of the visit was the long interview Lord Montgomery had with the relatives of the late Lieutenant Moana Ngarimu, V.C., and the senior members of the tribe. The visitors included Mr H. Ngarimu, father of the V.C. winner, Mr I. Pokiha, senior elder of the tribe, Mr H. T. Reedy, a former captain of the Maori Battalion and Mr P. Awatere, a former commander of the Battalion. The party presented Lord Montgomery with a carved “speaking stick” of the type used by old time Maori orators, and also a book “The Price of Citizen-ship,” written by Sir Apirana Ngata, containing the inscription “From the far slopes of Point 209 at El Taboga Gap, the spirit of Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu hails you as w*e, his kinsmen, this day hail you, warrior chief and victorious leader. Haere Mai. Haere Atu.” Enthusiastic crowds lining the route and at the airfield gave Lord Montgomery a great send off when he left by air from Rotorua to-day. The people of Hastings and Napier turned out in thousands to acclaim Lord Montgomei’y when he paid visits to the towns yesterday morning.